Airlines and airports across Europe are on high alert after a wave of hoax bomb threats against commercial flights this week. At least 35 planes were searched or diverted, The Guardian reported on Friday. Authorities hope for a quieter day after Thursday's disruptions.
According to BBC Swahili, the alerts came in quick succession. They hit one airline first, then one airport after another. In almost every case except London's Heathrow, officials judged the threats credible enough to divert the planes. In Italy, fighter jets took off to escort a targeted aircraft.
French authorities are taking a closer look at one of Thursday's incidents. An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to the Évreux military base after a bomb threat. The Guardian reported that the pilot insisted on landing at a civilian airport instead.
Évreux public prosecutor Rémi Coutin told ICI Normandie that the pilot's apparent initial refusal to land where instructed led the French military to scramble two fighter jets. The jets intercepted the plane. Coutin said the pilot and co-pilot will be questioned to "understand what happened". He added that he could bring charges for refusing to cooperate with the authorities. Aer Lingus gave The Guardian a statement backing its crew.
BBC Swahili said the threats came at the same time and appeared coordinated, which has led some to accuse Russia. The sources show no evidence linking Moscow to the threats and carry no response from Russia. Earlier this year Europe saw a string of cyberattacks and drone sightings near sensitive sites. In recent days, hackers have taken control of supermarket refrigeration systems and a blood bank system, the BBC reported. There was also a worrying incident on the Poland-Russia border.
In August, a drone attack targeted Germany's Leipzig Halle airport. Germany's interior minister then publicly blamed Moscow. Many observers describe such incidents as "hybrid" or "grey zone" warfare. These covert acts disrupt infrastructure or society but are hard to pin on anyone. They also stay below the threshold that would trigger NATO's Article 5, under which members defend each other if one is attacked.